A Journey into Forever
by nes
Summary: ONESHOT guys! On a plane’s journey, Kaoru, a single 26 year old mother, meets Kenshin, an important business man whose capability to interact with people isn’t the best. Can Kenji change it? Modern day AU. KK story. READ AND REVIEW!


**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Or Jerry Maguire, from where I took some ideas to write this story. Even though it has nothing to do with the movie. ANYWAY, I don't own them.

**Synopsis:** ONE-SHOT guys! On a plane's journey, Kaoru, a single 26 year old mother, meets Kenshin, an important business man whose capability to interact with people isn't the best. Can Kenji change it? Modern day A/U. K/K story. READ AND REVIEW!

A/N: A little OOC, but hey, AU is OOC so…whatever…just to warn P ENJOY!

On to the story!

* * *

**A Journey into Forever**

A small sweet child coughs vigorously, seated on one of the over sized comfy seats of the airplane. Deep brown hair with soft auburn locks adorns the face of the little five year old Kenji, whose coughing fight doesn't stop him from smiling and enjoying the flight. Flying above clouds has always enchanted the little boy for it gave him the idea of absolute control.

"I'm the…" He coughs again. "…master of the sky!" Kenji shouts happily, adjusting his small sounded glasses.

"Oh sweetie, don't shout like that! It'll give you another coughing fight." Kamiya Kaoru advices her son quietly. At the age of 26, she felt like the oldest person in the world. Having a son allergic to all the things related to dust wasn't easy, especially because when he has a crisis, he stops breathing, causing them to rush to the hospital where they give the same answer as always: there's nothing much we can do.

Incompetents?

Pretty much so.

Still, Kaoru can't help but being proud her child. He's the bravest little boy there is. Even with this health problem, he still manages to smile, laugh and live like a normal child. Right at this moment, soon after his coughing fight, he's singing is favourite song of Pokémon series. Felling a sudden cold air coming from above her head, Kaoru looks up and stares at a small opening where the air is coming out. Reaching a hand to try to shut it down and failing miserably, she sighs, giving up. "If we were in first class this would turn off if I clapped…"

"Nani kaa-san?" Kenji's soft voice sounds beside her.

Glancing down at him, she shakes her head. "Daijoubo Kenji-chan. Mommy's talking nonsense. Do you feel anything? Are you cold?" She asks, covering him slightly further with his light blue blanket. Even the blankets had to be specially made for him.

He shakes his head quickly, ready to deny any symptoms, but his cough assaults him again, making Kaoru cringe.

"Excuse miss…" A voice calls from Kaoru's side, causing her to move her eyes from her precious bundle and look right into the face of a fly assistant. Relief rushes through her body as she gives a soft smile. "Oh thank you. Do you think you can turn off this air conditioner? You see, my son is allergic to any kind of dust and—"

"There's nothing we can do." The woman replies icily.

Before having the opportunity to answer back, Kaoru and the woman are interrupted by a deeper cough from Kenji and Kaoru rushes a paper bag to his mouth, covering his throw up. Both women look at him sadly and the fly assistant whispers quietly. "I'm sorry if I was rude. Is just there's a gentleman seated two seats behind you complaining about your son's coughing. I'll see what I can do about the air conditioner."

Kaoru nods, giving her the now filled bag. "Thank you." The woman nods and leaves.

Leaning against her seat, she furrows her brows, processing the message given to her. How did someone _dare_ to complain about a child's cough! Who in the world would do that?

Curiosity strikes her and she pops her head slightly up, looking behind her. Scanning the faces on everyone seated two seats behind her, she soon finds herself staring into deep angry golden eyes, glaring at her. Understanding that must be the man, she loses no time and glares back with full force. No one in this world will complain about her son.

No one.

She watches as a cocky, arrogant eyebrow slowly rises, making her glare even harder and seat back roughly. "Baka ahou…"

"Nani kaa-san?" Little Kenji asks again, receiving another shake of head. But this time, his mama didn't say anything. He tiles his head to the side, watching with curious eyes as his beautiful mother entertains herself glaring into the seat in front of her.

* * *

Himura Kenshin leans against his seat, still arching his eyebrow. No one, and he means, _no one_ glares at him. And why was she glaring anyway? It almost seems as if it's his fault the kid is coughing! He didn't invented air conditioner so he doesn't have anything to do with it. He simply asked _nicely_ for someone to do something about it, because it was bothering him.

And it was!

How can anyone focus on business when there's a kid coughing loudly, throwing up and singing at the same time? If he's sick he should be in the hospital, no matter how incompetent they can be. But for sure a plane is not the place to bring a kid. They always start crying and messing up the entire journey.

Kenshin isn't a man used to be in contact with children. Well…he doesn't like human contact with anyone, with exception of a few people. But children? None. He simply doesn't know what to do when he's around them. And it's not as if a child has ever approached him before. They usually stare at his deep red hair but don't dare to come closer. After all, no one matches Kenshin in glares.

No one but that woman.

He can't help but snort. It's just too…ironic. Tiling his head up, he watches as she fights with the air conditioner machine. With both arms stretched, grabbing the small machine and a few curses leaving her lips, he chuckles loudly before he can stops it from happening. Wincing, he crouches against his seat, trying to contain his laugh to stop him from further embarrassment. Risking his neck and reputation, he peers from the top of the seat only to be target of another powerful glare.

'What is it with this woman and glares!' He thinks as he crouches further into the seat. 'And I can't believe I'm hiding like this! It's not as if she's going to come here and make a scene.'

"Hey mister!"

'Or is she?' Kenshin thinks briefly, before raising his eyes to the fuming lady standing beside him. Straightening himself in his seat, he arrogantly looks up at her. "Yes?"

She crosses her arms at her chest, frowning at him. "If you find the situation so funny, why don't you go over there and try to fix the air conditioner?"

Kenshin opens his mouth to answer but she's faster than him. "Or, if you can't fix it, don't make fun of a child's health, you sarcastic cold blooded man!" She frowns at him, before turning in her heels and seat back on her seat.

Feeling his mouth still hanged, he closes it slowly, straightening his tie around his neck as he feels some passengers staring at him. Leaning his head against the soft material of the seats, he takes in her cruel words.

"Cold blooded?" He whispers. "Ouch…"

* * *

"Kenji! Kenji! Where are you buddy? Kenji!" Kaoru shouts desperately, while looking around frantically for Kenji. She was checking in when suddenly, she lost sight of Kenji. "Oh God…Kenji!" She searches around, feeling tears filling her eyes due to the remote possibility of having lost her boy. 'My baby…' She thinks, feeling a deep pang in her heart. Losing him would be losing everything. She just couldn't live without her buddy. Without her…

"Kenji! Come on Kenji-chan! Kenji!"

"Excuse me miss…" A soft husky and awfully familiar voice sounds from behind. Kaoru turns quickly, feeling a hand touching her shoulder lightly. Whom she came to see wasn't the person she was expecting. Sighing deeply, she glances around before looking at him painfully. "Oh no, not you again. Look, I have important things to do right now so please, do not bother me anymore. Please." She pleads softly, breathing in deeply to prevent her tears from falling.

Kenshin frowns. It seems he really bothered her on the plane. He observes her glancing around before asking his curiosity. "Did you lose something?"

She looks back at him. "My son! My heart!" She says deeply in pain.

"You _lost_ your son?"

"I didn't _lose_ him, okay? I was checking in and seconds after he was nowhere in sight and there was a lady that said she saw him walking this direction but I can't find him and there are so many people in here and I can't believe I let this happen! I'm a terrible mother!" Kaoru cries out, breaking in tears in front of him.

Unsure of what to do, he glances around, trying to picture a lost kid in the middle of this river of people. Looking to his right, he notices a picturesque situation. A young kid was seated on top of a gigantic bag, riding around the rolling carpet filled with the luggage, while singing something out of Kenshin's reach. Looking back to the crying woman, he tries to calm her down.

"Ano…miss?"

Kaoru looks up sniffing shortly.

"While I search for a security guard, why don't you go over there and grab that rather picturesque young man." He says, pointing to Kenji's direction.

She looks to where Kenshin is pointing and cries when she spots her son. "Kenji!"

Dropping her bags, she rushes to his side, grabbing him and hugging deeply. "Don't ever do that to kaa-san! Ever! Ever! Ever! You listen to me? Ever!"

Kenshin watches as she tightens her hold on the little boy, who mutters slowly. "Kaa-san…stop…" Not being able to stop the corner of his lips from rising a bit, Kenshin admires how much love exists between these two people. The way she hugs him, as if there was no tomorrow and the peaceful look set in the boy's face shows something to Kenshin he had never experienced in his life.

Deep caring. Loving hugs. Passionate stares. Sweet kisses. Different emotions from the ones she described him to have.

Kaoru places the boy on the floor but doesn't let go of his hand. Turning to Kenshin, she adjusts her backpack. "Thank you." She tells him quietly.

"Aa. I guess I'm not that cold blooded." He says quietly. She flushes softly as the little boy starts moving her hand from back to forward. After a moment of silence, Kenshin bows shortly. "Well, take care." He says, looking at both of them briefly before turning to leave.

"You're right!" Kaoru says quickly, regaining her voice. He stops walking and turns with his head tiled. "I'm right about what?"

Kaoru looks down a Kenji asking him to stop for a second. He does, but only of a second. Literally. Giving up, she glances to the stranger, who is standing in the middle of the large room with people rushing around him, hurried to go home or leave the place.

"You're not cold blooded." She tells him honestly. "I was angry when I said that." He approaches them slowly until they're close enough for them to talk naturally instead of screaming. Kaoru looks down quickly. "I shouldn't have, though, because I don't even know you and it's so rude to make comments about people we don't know! I remember when my mother used to say that those who don't respect others don't deserve respect either. I totally did the opposite though…" Looking up with a half embarrassed, half guilty face, Kaoru sighs.

"It's just, when you said that my son's coughing was bothering you, you made me remember once again how people are selfish in this world. You have no idea what we've been through. No one bothers to help and, instead, open their mouths and start criticizing me. It's hard to keep up with, you know? My son is allergic to dust so much that he coughs continuously until he can't breathe no more and when we reach the hospital, they turn him on an oxygen machine and always reply the same thing: 'there's nothing we can do'. And you don't know how frustrating that can be, because watching your kid fighting for breath can tear you apart in seconds. But society is ruled by those laws. Those who are weak are not important and I can't stand it, you know?" Kaoru asks for a second, before continuing babbling about everything bothering her at the moment. Kenshin nods slowly, unsure of what to say.

Kenji, whose hand is still entwined with his mother's, looks from his mother to the strange man and grins. 'Yay, play up a down!' He thinks happily, reaching out to grab Kenshin's hand, completely unaware of the adult's conversation.

Kenshin, still absorbed by the woman's speech, feels something grabbing his right hand. Looking down for a second, he notices the small boy smiling widely, trying to grab his hand. Somewhat in shock, he tries without success to pry his fingers from the little boy. Glancing up to the mother, who is still complaining about things, he takes a moment to observe her further, while pushing the small boy up and down absently.

"…because there aren't many people who bother to help these days, you know? I'm glad to see you helped me when I thought I lost my boy just a moment ago, but you were the only one! I mean, no one approached me offering their help and, ironically, you were the one doing it, which I found surprising since you were the one tormenting my journey because my son's cough was bothering you. And I understand it since it can't be possible to focus on money and business while someone else is making noise." Stopping suddenly, Kaoru flushes deeply. "I obviously had too much coffee, right?" She asks, smiling sheeply.

Kenshin looks down briefly at the little boy smiling widely while being pushed up and down. So much joy and happiness in one single gesture…

"Is this bothering you?" Kaoru asks softly, finally taking in what Kenji has been doing for the past…ten minutes! Oh my…what an annoying person she had become!

Looking up from the boy to find a very cute young woman flushed all over, he shakes his head, blinking shortly. "No" Glancing down once more, he repeats his answer more strongly. "Not at all. This is…great. This is fantastic." Kenshin says, smiling lightly.

"Oh…I'm sorry for my babbling from back then." She says, blushing a bit more, if it's possible.

"No need for apology miss…" Kenshin trails off, realizing they don't know their names.

"Kamiya Kaoru."

Taking in her name, he bows. "Himura Kenshin."

"And Kenji!" The little man shouts happily, still playing with the arms of both adults.

They both chuckle, glancing at the small boy. "Aa, it's nice to meet you Kenji-chan." Kenshin replies.

Kaoru keeps staring at the man in front of her in such a daze that she fails to hear his next question. Blinking, she leans forward. "What?"

"Do you need a lift?" Kenshin says slowly, assuring she was listening this time. Even though he didn't understand why he was asking this, the feeling of the small hand entwined with his was so wonderful he didn't want to let go. Which was crazy since he's never welcome among children. Why was this boy being so nice?

"Oh no!" Kaoru laughs nervously, "Yeah I'm sure that would be the perfect day for you, right? After flying with my son's coughing, you end up driving all the way to Tokyo's downtown, turning on that small left street with an intense fishy smell, while your life flashes through your eyes since it's too small for two cars to pass by, until you finally made it to the third old building at your right." Kaoru stops her nervous babbling, denying the offer once again. "It's really not necessary."

Kenshin tiles his head to the side, mesmerized by the life within this small framed woman. Chuckling, arches an eyebrow. "Now I really have to drive you…"

"Why?"

"You already told me the address." He says, grinning.

Giving a watery chuckle, she replies. "Well I don't even know you." She points out.

Letting go of Kenji's hand and, strangely, missing its warmth immediately, he reaches his jacket pocket, taking out a small white card. Extending his hand to her, he nods. "You're right. There's my card with all my numbers, my address, my personal id…and my profession. All legal, I promise." He says smiling.

Blinking, she takes the card from his hand. "A-ano…I don't know…I really don't want to impose…we'll be fine with a taxi really…" Kaoru mumbles, not sure on what to do.

Kenshin straightens himself, grabbing her luggage. "Good, it's settled then. Please, come along!" He says, walking away.

Blinking twice, Kaoru grabs her son and they follow him, finally leaving the airport.

* * *

"Thank you again for the ride." Kaoru tells him softly, glancing sideways. "I'm sorry for what I called you…you're not cold blooded…" She trails off. '_I was so senseless…'_

Kenshin shakes his head, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "You're not the only who should apologise. I'm sorry for being so selfish. I…get caught up with work so much that I become fully focused on it. And being distracted from that can get me annoyed. But it's no excuse." He pauses. "I'm just…no good with human relations, I guess…" He says quietly.

"I understand. It's not easy to relate with people when you live your entire life focused only on business."

"Did you know dogs and bees can smell fear?" Kenji asks suddenly.

Glancing at him through the rear-view mirror, Kenshin chuckles, answering him back. "Did you know the United States government keeps its supply of silver at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York?" He tells the little guy, receiving an amused glance from Kaoru.

"Did you know that hamsters like to eat crickets?"

"Did you know Iowa has more independent telephone companies than any other state?" Kenshin asks quickly.

Kenji grins widely. "Did you know my neighbour has a turtle?"

This time both adults laugh at the boy's smart answer. Looking at Kaoru, Kenshin shakes his head. "I can't compete with that!"

Kaoru nods, laughing softly.

For a moment, silence fills the car, until the small boy interrupts with a proposal. "Let's go to the park!"

Turning her head, she looks at him tenderly. "Not today Kenji-chan. Tomorrow I'll take you to the park, okay anata?"

Kenji shakes his head stubbornly. "No I want to go today!"

"I'll take you tomorrow." Kaoru says, giving him a stern look.

"He won't be there tomorrow!" Kenji cries desperately.

Shocked by his words, Kenshin is incapable of saying a word. Kaoru, still absorbing her son's request, open and closes her mouth, not sure on what to answer him. "A-ano…Kenji-chan, Himura-san has much to do and…I'm sure he will-"

"Be there tomorrow to accompany you to the park." Kenshin says suddenly. Looking at the young boy, he adds. "If you still want my company."

"HAI!" The boy cries from the back seat, smiling happily.

"If it's okay with you…" He says lower, glancing at Kaoru, whose face is widened at the events taking place before her eyes. Her son was requesting this man's presence by his side and nothing in the world could emotionally shake her more than that. Nodding, she swallows slowly, pushing back the tears that threaten to fall._'He must really miss it...'_

The rest of the ride is spent nicely, occasionally with an exchange of words but nothing more than that. The shock received from Kenji's request was enough to shake both adults out of their conscience. The young boy was sleeping soundly on the back seat, tired from all the excitement of the day.

Keeping his face straight, Kenshin turned to the last right, before stopping the car in front of the third building, just as she had said back in the airport. Sighing softly, he turned off the engine, looking at Kaoru. "Here we are." He says softly, glancing at Kenji. "Do you want me to carry him?"

With a strange feeling of loneliness banging in her heart, she shakes her head. "No, we've caused you too much trouble already. Thank you for driving us all the way here." She tells him, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Kaa-san?"

Turning to the owner of the sweet voice, they look at Kenji, who is rubbing his eyes slowly in confusion. "Are we home?"

Kaoru smiles. "Yes sweetie, we're home."

Stepping out of the car, Kenshin opens the car's trunk, grabbing their luggage and placing them on the pavement in front of the building's door. Turning to them, Kaoru approaches him uneasily. "Well, thanks and…I guess, we'll see you tomorrow?"

Nodding, he smiles softly. "I'll be here."

"Give me a hug!" Kenji asks, lifting his arms for Kenshin to grab him.

Kaoru's heart starts beating faster than before as she observes Kenshin bending to his knees hesitantly, opening his arms slowly and taking the boy in them. Kenji smiles and hugs the man tight, placing a kiss at his cheek. Breaking their embrace, Kenshin looks into the boy's deep blue eyes and smiles playfully. "Now I really have to take you to the park." He says tapping the tip of his little nose with his index finger, before rising up, facing Kaoru.

"It was nice meeting you two and…I'll see you tomorrow. Take care." He says, nodding shortly, before turning and stepping inside his car.

Waving goodbye, Kaoru and her charming son watch as the car dives away. Sighing loudly, she grabs their luggage and they enter the building. Closing her apartment's door, she leans against it heavily. Replaying the day's events in her mind, from the moment they got into that plane until a few minutes ago when her son hugged Kenshin, she closes her eyes and snorts at life.

'_Who would say? All because of a journey.'_

Sitting on her couch, she smiles into the emptiness of the house, filled only with her son's singing voice coming from his room.

Who knows what's going to happen?

But one can dream, and the way her son showed his liking towards this man told her something about it all.

Together, they would find out what life had reserved for them.

Life had joined them, and only life knew what was going to happen.

'_Our journey into forever…'

* * *

_

**OWARI!**

**A/N: **Okay, okay, I know you wanted kisses and fluffiness all over, but I decided to stop it here. We don't know what's going to happen to them, neither do they. Somehow, it makes the story more real. Anyway, I was watching Jerry Maguire's scene when they are at the airport and I had this silly idea. What do you think? PLEASE REVIEW! I hope you like it!

REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!

Right at this bottom…!


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